The Friends of the Professional Car Society is the official website of the Professional Car Society, Inc. (Society). Our membership is primarily dues paying members of the Society; however, it is not a requirement that you belong to the Society to participate in our website.
The professional car is loosely defined as a custom bodied vehicle based on passenger car styling and used in the funeral, rescue, or livery services. Such vehicles may be hearses, flower cars, service cars, ambulances, limousines, or cars which are specially built to combine two or more of these different functions-combination hearse-ambulances, sedan-ambulances, or invalid coaches.
The Society was founded in 1976 to encourage the preservation of such vehicles. At that time, many of these vehicles had no established classes in multi-marquee antique car organizations. The Society's growth since that time has helped to establish the position of the professional car in more clubs and shows, and has served to preserve many of these vehicles for future collectors to restore and enjoy.

General Discussion ForumFor the general discussion of Professional Cars.

At least 20 people were killed Saturday after a limousine, reportedly carrying a wedding party, and another vehicle crashed at an intersection in upstate New York, police said on Sunday.

Of the people killed, 18 were in the limousine and two were bystanders, a person with knowledge of the investigation into a crash told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to discuss the preliminary information publicly and spoke Sunday on the condition of anonymity.

Local reports indicated the limousine was carrying a wedding party, but officials would not confirm further details until the news conference scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday. The victims' names were not released.

Police received 911 calls of a two-vehicle collision just before 2 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of State Route 30 and 30A in Schoharie, a town about 43 miles west of Albany, police said. The National Transportation Safety Board — who said on Sunday it was sending a “go-team” to the crash site — confirmed one of the vehicles was a limousine.

“What we can tell you at this point is that it is a 2 vehicle, multi fatalities as a result of this crash. The investigation is very preliminary it’s in its infancy stages,” New York State Police Capt. Richard O’Brien said in a Saturday night news conference.

The crash occurred near Apple Barrel Country Store, a place popular with tourists during fall. The store's parking lot was filled with cars and people at the time of the crash when the limousine came speeding down a hill, the Times Union of Albany reported.

Bridey Finnagen, who lives near the crash site, told WTEN she heard a loud bang followed by screaming.

“I heard a loud bang I came out my front door to see what was going on,” Finnagen told the station. “I saw a lot of people here at the Apple Barrel out in the parking lot. Then I heard screaming. Then I saw this large van, a very unusual looking vehicle out here in Schoharie in the bushes and really wrecked, hit a tree.”

Emergency crews from the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office, New York state police and the Red Cross arrived at the scene.

“The first responders broke some windows to try to get people out. I believe the jaws of life were here on the side of one of the fire trucks,” Finnagen recalled.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Apple Barrel released a statement Saturday on its Facebook page thanking first responders. The store said it will be open on Sunday.

“As you may be aware, there was a horrific accident in front of our business today [Saturday]. First, we want to thank all of the emergency services that responded. We are so thankful for all of you,” the store said, adding that their “hearts and prayers go out to everyone” involved in the fatal crash.

Last report 18 in the Limo are dead {wedding party} and two people in the parking lot of the restaurant also killed,so sad thoughts also go out to first responders can only imagine the feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer carnage..

Heavy emphasis is being placed on autopsies for all victims. There is a major dome over all information by NY Troopers the main Law Enforcement in the area. Information leaking out from Vol First Responders is victims didn't look that bad but were dead.

I'm wondering given the temperature in the area if it wasn't a case of Carbon Monoxide in a closed vehicle before the "Limo" topped the hill.

The intersection is a well known money mine for local tow trucks to pick up big wrecks and big bucks. Wrecker I'm fairly confident got the job ain't saying word 1.

The "Limo" was coming downhill into a T and STOP sign. Some reports indicate the "Limo" made no attempt to stop.

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Anything could be it! The "Limo" was 17 years old if the 17 years were spent in that area the underside must have looked like rot city. I made the mistake of buying three Crown Vic Sheriffs cars from a county up there, running gear fine frames etc all rotten could not even use front fenders one the wires running across the front cross member just crumbled when touched. Scrapped all three not saleable at all. Sounds like the "limo" was a death trap, close to or overloaded and god knows what the brake lines etc. were like. Time will tell but should be very interesting to see how this shakes out.

Sad to hear about this. 20 people sounds like alot. I was in a limo once with like 10 people at my friend's wedding and it was pretty miserable. Cramped and hot. SUV limos just scare me. I feel like rollover risk would be pretty high on those. But I may be wrong.